


In the gloaming, draw nearer

by Kore88



Series: Ineffable Advent [2]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: 31 Days of Fanfiction Challenge, 31 Days of Ineffables, Advent Challenge, Fire, Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), M/M, frost fair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 22:00:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21686143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kore88/pseuds/Kore88
Summary: “We hear this winter is going to be extra harsh Crawley” he imitated to himself in an undertone, “the humans will be miserable, defeated, easy pickings. We expect big things Crawley” He looked around taking in the sights surrounding him.“Shows what they know” he muttered in his normal voice.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Ineffable Advent [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1562236
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	In the gloaming, draw nearer

London 1608:

Crowley did his best to wrap his black cloak around him, as he stepped carefully across the ice. Whilst he did appreciate the extra layers, the current fashion for padded breeches made it hard to close a cloak properly. Mind you no amount of layers would be enough to keep him warm in this weather.

“We hear this winter is going to be extra harsh Crawley” he imitated to himself in an undertone, “the humans will be miserable, defeated, easy pickings. We expect big things Crawley” He looked around taking in the sights surrounding him.

“Shows what they know” he muttered in his normal voice.

He had to hand it to the humans. This winter was so cold even the Thames had frozen, and what had London done? They put tents on the ice, and just carried on. They were calling it a frost fair. The river was awash with the sounds of humanity, talking, laughing and even singing. There were puppet shows, football games and sprawling tented taverns pitched next to ice skaters. Crowley might even have found it enjoyable, if it wasn’t so bloody freezing.

He should be somewhere inside, preferably coiled up under many blankets. If he had his way, he would sleep right through this winter. But almost all of London seemed gathered, just waiting to be tempted. And of course he was the poor bastard who had to be out here to tempt them.

So here he was shivering and cursing his bosses as he wove his way through the seediest parts of the fair. Making coin purses jingle, loud and ripe for crafty fingers to pick off belts. Encouraging those in the taverns to go on, just have one more. He had even managed to get a good underground gambling market going. He had moved on quickly when they had started the cockfighting though. For some reason he couldn’t bear to watch. The sight of two feathered creatures, tearing each other apart made him feel vaguely nauseous.

So now he was wandering again. Looking for another crowd of humanity he could slither into, and use as a buffer against the cold. He turned a bend and spotted an orange glow across the ice. There was a large crown gathered. Even with everyone wrapped in cloaks he could see how shabby their outfits were. None of the latest fashions for the men, and ragged dirty dresses on the women. There were children here as well, thin and hollow cheeked, but smiling. In fact the whole crowd looked sickeningly happy as they gathered around the largest fire Crowley had seen on the whole river.

He headed toward the fire instinctively. The snake part of him desperate for the intense heat it promised. It was breath-taking to watch, so hot you could see tiny slivers of blue amongst the orange and red in the flames. By rights a fire this large shouldn’t have been on the ice. It was almost miraculous.

That was why Crowley was not at all surprised, when he spotted a familiar figure across the flames. Exactly as he had suspected Aziraphale was at the centre of the crowd. Dressed all in white he practically glowed in the light of the fire. He wondered how the humans couldn’t tell, what was in their midst. Surely they muse see that something that beautiful could only be an angel.

His feet sipping on the ice bought him out of the daze he had fallen into and reminded him of his bad mood. This was no time to stare in a besotted fashion, it was far too cold.

“I am not besotted”, he growled to himself more for the form than anything. His scowl turned into a smile as an idea flashed through his head. If the angel was at the fair anyway. Perhaps this was a perfect time for the arrangement. He might be able to sleep the cold away after all.

He wove his way through the crowd to the angel, already enjoying the heat from the fire. Perhaps he could stay here for a while, after all it might take some time to get the angel to agree. He watched Aziraphale as he got closer, wondering when he would be noticed. But as he studied the Angel he noticed something off. He looked drained in a way Crowley had never seen before. He watched as person after person, approached the angel. Each leaving with something, a blanket, a cloak, or even a piece of bread. Of course it didn’t really matter what physical item each person was given, not really. Because what the angel was really handing out was miracles.

He got alarmingly close before Aziraphale noticed him. He took a moment to feel relieved that it was him here and not another demon.

“Angel” he greeted, inclining his head slightly.

“Crowley” the angel replied. The weight in his voice immediately squashing any plans Crowley might have had for the arrangement.

“sss a lot of people here, Angel” he said, knowing Aziraphale would understand.

“It’s so cold you see.”, Aziraphale sounded almost apologetic.

Crowley could only give a helpless nod to that, because of course he did see. Aziraphale held his eyes for a moment longer before turning away to help the next person. The demon switched his attention to the fire. Palms outstretched as if to absorb the heat.

“It definitely is cold” he said carefully, “so cold, that a fire like this is such a temptation”. He turned his head back to the angel on the last word. Just in time to catch Aziraphale’s gaze snap back to him. He was also in time to watch some of the tension fall from the angel’s shoulders, as he released himself from the burden of maintaining the large fire.

Afterwards Crowley could not have told you how long he spent there. Basking in the warmth of the fire he carefully maintained. He couldn’t count the hours he stood, watching face after face, transformed from despair to hope as the fires glow flickered across them. It was certainly the longest he had ever maintained a temptation. It was exhausting and if Hell ever found out, it did not bear thinking about.

But every now and again Aziraphale would look, catch his eye across the fire and smile. A rare soft smile, made even more beautiful by the flickering light. A smile Crowley knew was for him and him alone. And that made everything worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> My second ficlet as part of the 31 days of Ineffables Advent challenge posted by Drawlight on Tumblr.
> 
> To steer away from potential angst caused by the bookshop fire, I wanted to do something more historical. I was trying to think of a good Christmas fire tradition when my brain suddenly went frost fair. Some research uncovered that the first one actually called a frost fair was the year before Hamlet debuted. So here we are I guess.


End file.
